The Last Battle
by mysticofthepen
Summary: Harry has fought the last battle. Yet, will life be normal or be one battle after another to continue protecting the people he loves? RHr & HG pairings. Rated for strong language.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Harry Potter or his wonderful world. That all goes to the grand J. K. Rowling.

The Last Battle

By Mysticofthepen

Harry stood in front of the group of people that had left Hogwarts with him. Yes, it had been allowed to be opened, but as Harry had vowed he hadn't gone back and he wasn't the only one. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Cho, Seamus, Dean, Lavendar, and the Parvil twins all stood in front of him.

"Don't you understand what is going to happen tonight? People are going to die. That's the way it is. I don't want any of you to get killed," Harry was saying, trying to get them to leave him before he headed into the battle zone.

"And don't you understand that we are standing beside you? We are sick and tired of Voldermort's reign of terror and that we want to be there when you end all of this!" Ginny retorted.

"You most of all don't belong here," he said through gritted teeth. Ginny's mouth dropped open and her delicate hands found rest upon her hips.

"And why the hell not?" She asked angrily.

"You damn well know why, Ginny. Don't do this," Harry answered, half pleading.

"No let's do this. What is it Harry? Too damn young? Too innocent? I was POSSESSED by him Harry. Damn it all to hell you know that!" Ginny argued, getting a little bit more angry.

"I know Ginny," Harry started.

"If you knew then you would let me be here!"

"I... I can't."

"Why Harry. Please do share. Is it because you want to be the damned hero again?"

"I CAN'T FUCKING LOSE YOU!" Harry screamed, turning away from her.

Silence fell over the group. Harry knew that he shouldn't have sworn at Ginny, that all she wanted was to be there with him. He turned and saw tears glistening in her eyes.

"I'm sorry for yelling. But I don't want to be the hero any more! But I know that I'm the only one that can stop Voldermort from destroying everything that we ever held dear. Do you think I like knowing that? Do you think that I can handle watching any one else die because of me! That's my life, Ginny! That has always been my life! Since I was a year old people have died or gone to jail or whatever because of me! I don't want any of you to die tonight. If anyone dies it's going to be me this time," Harry said hurriedly.

"Maybe we want to die beside you," Ginny whispered back.

"I don't want you to. Not if I manage not to die," Harry croaked out.

"We promised you that we would be here," Neville spoke up.

"And we are commited to that promise. This isn't just your fight Harry," Cho jumped in.

"We want this to end just as much as you do," Ron pointed out.

"And if it means dying then we are willing to die. That isn't your fault Harry. None of the deaths have been your fault. They are Voldemort's fault. You have to remember that in order to live your life, in order to stop him," Hermione said softly.

"And we don't want to lose you either," Ginny whispered, "You mean too much for us."

"You've been the hero, but we have always been by your side. We aren't just doing this for you, you know," Padma pointed out.

"We are Dumbledore's men and women, through and through," Parvati said.

"We do this for Dumbledore," Ron said quietly.

"And for Cedric," Cho said, tears glistening in her dark eyes.

"For my parents," Neville said, gulping hard.

"And the old man, and the woman from the ministry, and for Barty Crouch," Hermione jumped in.

"For your parents and Sirius," Ginny whispered.

They all stopped, knowing that what Ginny had said was one of the most powerful ones.

"They all died because of me," Harry said, resting against the wall of the living room of the Burrow where they were staying. He slid against the wall until he was sitting on the ground. He raised his hands up to his face and hid his eyes behind his glasses. A hand fell upon his head and felt it rub his head softly.

"They didn't die because of you. They died for all of us, so that we may give others the chance to live," Ginny said softly in his ear. Harry looked up into her eyes and shook his head.

"Don't come with me," he pleaded.

"Why not?" She asked him softly, caressing the side of his face gently.

"Because I love you." Ginny smiled and kissed his lips softly.

"I love you too, but that won't keep me from being on your side," she responded. He snorted.

"Damn stubborn woman."

"That's why you love me." Harry nodded and Ginny helped him up.

"Fine. If you are coming then don't get killed. If you get killed, well once I die let's just say your afterlife is going to be hell," Harry warned, breaking the tension in the room. He turned away from them and walked to the fireplace.

"To Gordic's Hallow. There is where it began and there is where it is going to end," Harry said solemnly before using the Floo Powder.

oOooOOoOOooooOOOooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Ah Potter. You showed up as I had instructed. And brought your motely crew. Are you ready for your death?" Voldemort sneered as the rest of his Deatheaters apparated in to the field.

"No because I'm not going to die tonight," Harry retorted. Voldemort shook his head.

"Oh my my my... what arrogance. I think we'll have to teach you a lesson before we kill you," Voldemort laughed and stopped, his already white snake like skin going whiter.

"Don't you dare touch them," A familiar voice commanded. Harry's heart stopped. Could it be? Was it really...

"Dumbledore!" Voldemort roared. Dumbledore laughed.

"Not bad. Only took you three minutes to figure that out. And I believe that you know the rest of the crew here," Dumbledore said as he came to Harry's side.

"Snape told me he killed you!" Voldemort roared.

"Oh really? Well I don't see dear Severus do you?" Voldemort spun around and looked at his small band of followers.

"You won't find me there!" Severus yelled, coming up beside Dumbledore.

"TRAITOR!" Voldemort screamed.

"No. Spy is the correct word," Severus corrected. Voldemort let out a word.

"You know what to do. NOW!" Dumbledore screamed. Everyone lifted their wands and said the killing curse in their heads, after months of practicing on insects. In Voldemort's shock and screaming he was hit with all their Killing Curses. Voldemort dropped over backwards, dead.

Nearly instantly the stunned Deatheaters were taken over by the Aurors that had come to stand besides Harry. Harry looked up to ask Dumbledore where he had been for years when all of a sudden he turned into Mad Eye Moody.

"Hello there lad. No, alas, I am not Albus. We needed shock in order to perform what we did," he answered him immediately. Harry spun around, wand raised against Snape.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" Harry roared.

"Under an Unbreakable Vow! I had to!" Snape exclaimed.

"I sentence you to the same death!" Harry exclaimed.

"No! I know where he is!" Harry stopped.

"What?"

"He isn't dead and we couldn't lose him in the fight!"

"But you could lose children?" Harry argued back.

"He's trying to recover. He never could have been here today."

"Recover from what?" Harry asked suspicously.

"The curse that he made that I had to perform. He didn't die. He was put into a coma. That is what it was. A death looking coma. He is back at Hogwarts, resting," Snape answered immediately.

Arthur Weasley came forward and nodded to Harry.

"Yes, what he says is true. He is waiting for you," Arthur said.

"Waiting for me?" Harry asked.

"Yes indeed son. Now let's take you back to Hogwarts where you students belong," Arthur said, leading the students away from the battle.

OooooooooooooooOOOOOoooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOoooo

Thank you for reading. This isn't over. I know... I have three in progress ones... but this one just came to me and I just had to write it out and get it to you guys. All of you that are reading the others... Womanofthepast and I are a bit busy. We should get out a new one in about two weeks. Sorry about the delay.

PLEASE REVIEW! Thankies!


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you awesome reviewers! Keep reading and reviewing. Reviewing gives me an incentive to write more!

**Chapter 2**

As soon as the castle came into view, Harry felt a sense of peace. This place would always feel like home. After all the years of abuse he had endured at the hands of his aunt and uncle, this had been a sanctuary over the years. Memories flew into his mind, good and bad. He smiled at the castle sadly as he and his fellow classmates started up the castle's stairs to their final days of school.

Harry, along with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione, were all escorted up the Headmaster's office by Professor McGonagal. As the door opened Harry held his breath. Could this be a trap? Or a lie to save Snape's life? He hope it wasn't. Then he would have another mission - to avenge Dumbledore's life.

The four of them entered the office to find Dumbledore sitting in his seat as usual. Yet, he looked far older and more tired than he ever had before. He gave them a weak smile as they came in.

"Ah. . . welcome back to Hogwarts. I do believe I have some explaining to do," he started, his voice soft and rough. Harry blinked slowly and sat down in one of the four leather chairs that had been placed in front of the desk for them.

"It is good to see you alive, sir," Harry said. Dumbledore smiled a little brighter.

"Thank you. It is good to see all of you alive and well. No on to what I have to tell you. I never died, as you can see. Snape and I had discussed what Voldemort wanted to do. He wanted me out of the way to lure you out of Hogwarts. With me dead he could take you at Hogwarts if he really wanted to. He knew that as long as I was alive that you would be protected here. Very protected. So Snape and I created a spell that knocked me out. That is the reason why I flew through the air and landed far away from the battle. We wanted to ensure that I didn't get trampled on during the battle that was to come. Snape and I made this spell together. It was intented to knock me out for a couple of weeks. However, his own turmoil added a little boost to the spell making me comotose for a couple of months instead. So you see Snape has always been the good guy. I don't want you to go after him," Dumbledore explained.

"So you lured Voldemort into a false sense of security. That is what helped us win the war," Hermione spoked up. Dumbledore nodded as he peered at her over his half moon glasses.

"Very right Ms. Granger. Now, enough with speculations and seriousness. There is a nice warm dinner for all of you in the Great Hall. Classes start on Monday for all of you," Dumbledore said.

"Will you be coming down to dinner Professor?" Ginny asked him. Dumbledore shook his head slowly.

"I'm still recovering. Don't worry. I will be fine soon," he said with a smile. They nodded and got up. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny started for the door, but Harry just stood there.

"Is it really all over?" He asked him, causing his friends to turn around. Dumbledore gave him a smile.

"Yes, Harry. It is all over. It is time for you to learn how to live life without your life being in danger," he answered. Harry nodded.

"I will try sir," he said. Dumbledore nodded his head.

"First thing to do is go down to the Great Hall and get some food. It will do you a world of good," he advised. Harry nodded once again and headed for the door. Dumbledore sighed as he watched the four students leave his office.

"They have seen so much and have done so much. I only hope that they can have the nice year that I have always wished for them," he said to McGonagal.

"Don't worry Albus. They will," she reassured, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The Great Hall was a buzz with the prospect of the war being over and so many of the students having finally returned. The band that had called themselves Dumbledore's Army sat at one end of the Gryffindor table. Harry sat next to Ginny and across from them Hermione and Ron sat together on the other side.

"It is odd," Neville said softly, "That we have ended the war." The group nodded.

"We did the right thing by chosing to go and stop the evil instead of waiting for it to come to us," Luna said, giving Neville's hand a squeeze. He flashed her a small smile.

"What do we do now?" Harry asked as he stared into his pumpkin juice. Ginny set down her glass and cleared her throat.

"We live. That is what we do. We play Quidditch and go on dates. We pull pranks and cause mischief. We learn and study and pass our NEWTS. We go swimming in the lake. We fly our brooms, go to the Room of Requirement, and just be teenagers. That is what we do now. We have an opportunity to live, to breath, to be teenagers. That is something that we have never been allowed to do. Now we have freedom from fear and we are allowed to live," Ginny said.

Hermione smiled at her.

"You are right. Let's vow to make this the most wonderful year of all," she said to the group. They looked around at one another and nodded. Ron raised his glass, a bright smile upon his face.

"To the greatest year of our lives at Hogwarts!" He toasted. Everyone clinked glasses and giggled. Their new lives had begun.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Harry raced down the stairs, pushing Ron in order to win. They laughed as they tumbled down the last couple of stairs.

"I won!" Ron yelled as he jumped up from the ground. Harry picked his glasses up off the floor and got up off the floor slowly.

"Hell no. You so didn't win! We both won!" Harry protested. Ron shook his head.

"Nope mate, I so won," Ron argued.

"What the heck are you two arguing about?" Ginny asked as she walked down the stairs slowly. Harry's jaw dropped. He closed it quickly and whistled.

"Dang girl! You are so looking fine," Harry replied. Ginny gave him a look that asked him if he was feeling all right.

"Thank you. You're not looking bad either," she said with a giggle. Harry pulled her to him and kissed her softly. Ron made gagging sounds until he felt two small hands slide around his waist.

"Shh . . Let them be in love," Hermione whispered as she came in front of him. He smiled and pulled her in for a searing kiss, which earned Ginny's gagging.

"I'm walking on sunshine! Yeah!" Neville sang as he slid down the banister. He jumped off at the last moment, striking a pose. He turned and caught Luna who had followed him.

"Thanks," she said.

"Couldn't let you fall. That isn't what a gentleman does," Neville said. Ron snorted and nudged Neville.

"Since when are you a gentleman?" Ron asked him. Neville shot him a dirty look.

"Since I started dating Luna," he replied. Hermione and Ginny gasped, looked at one another, and squealed as Neville put Luna back safely on the ground. Luna laughed and nodded. Ron and Harry patted him on the back.

"Way to go Neville," Ron congratulated.

"Shall we adjourn to the Great Hall for a healthy breakfast?" Luna asked. Ron laughed.

"Healthy? Heck, we don't care that it is healthy. As long as it is food," Ron replied as he took Hermione's hand.

"You only care about food don't you?" Hermione asked him. He shook his head.

"No that is wrong. I care about food and you," he said, tapping her nose gently. She laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Let's go before all the good food is gone!" Ginny exclaimed, racing out of the portrait hole, Harry in tow. The others looked at one another before racing through the portrait hole.


End file.
